ISU

#FigureSkating 

 

Reigning ISU World Champions Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) as well as 2023 World medallists Junhwan Cha (KOR), Haein Lee (KOR), Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) and 2022 Olympic silver medallist Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) lead the line-up at the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships in Shanghai (CHN) January 29 - February 4. A total of 109 Skaters/Couples representing 14 ISU Members have been entered for this 25^th edition of the ISU Four Continents Championships: 27 Men, 26 Women, 12 Pairs and 16 Ice Dance couples.

Overview of the competitors

Men: Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) continues comeback

The Men’s event promises to be exciting with a strong field. 2022 Olympic silver medalist Yuma Kagiyama continues his comeback season at Four Continents after missing the past season due to injury. He competed once before in the event, claiming bronze in 2020. The ISU Grand Prix Final bronze medalists come with a seasons best of 288.65 points to Shanghai.

Yuma Kagiyama (JPN) competes during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Grand Prix de France 2023 in Angers (FRA). @ISU

Competition should come from 2023 World silver medalist and 2022 ISU Four Continents Champion Junhwan Cha (KOR), who hopes to return to form after some struggles earlier this season (seasons best 222.16 points) and from 2023 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist Shun Sato (JPN/seasons best 273.34 points),

Junhwan Cha (KOR) competes during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN). @ISU

Two-time ISU World bronze medalist Boyang Jin (CHN) wants to shine on home ice. Other two watch include 2023 Grand Prix Skate Canada Champion Sota Yamamoto (JPN), 2023 Grand Prix Cup of China bronze medalist Mikhail Shaidorov (KAZ), Maxim Naumov (USA) and Andrew Torgashev (USA).

Women: Defending Champion Haein Lee (KOR) faces stiff competition

Reigning ISU Four Continents Champion Haein Lee (KOR) is looking to defend her title in Shanghai, but she faces stiff competition. The 2023 World silver medalist earned a seasons best of 191.10 points but missed out on the podium in the ISU Grand Prix series. Her teammate Chaeyeon Kim (KOR) ranked fourth in her Four Continents debut a year ago and wants to get on to the podium this time (seasons best 202.26 points).

Haein Lee (KOR) competes at the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Grand Prix de France 2023 in Angers (FRA). @ISU 

The most experienced competitor is Mai Mihara (JPN) who was on the Four Continents podium in all her four appearances so far: She won gold in 2017 and 2022, silver in 2018 and bronze in 2019. After a slow start into the season due to injury, the Japanese star wants to shine again on the ice in Shanghai (seasons best 172.64 points). 2023 ISU Four Continents bronze medalist Mone Chiba (JPN) is aiming at a medal again (seasons best 177.79 points).

Mai Mihara (JPN) competes during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating NHK Trophy 2023 in Osaka (JPN). @ISU

Other contenders are Rinka Watanabe (JPN), Lindsay Thorngren (USA) and Grand Prix NHK Trophy Champion Ava Maria Ziegler (USA).

Pairs: World Champions Miura/Kihara (JPN) to start comeback

In the Pairs, reigning ISU World and Four Continents Champions Riku Miura/Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) are looking to start a comeback in Shanghai after missing all but one Challenger Event this season due to an injury of Miura (seasons best 188.05 points).

Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara (JPN) compete during the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2023 in Saitama (JPN). @ISU 

ISU Grand Prix Final and 2023 ISU Four Continents bronze medallists Deanna Stellato-Dudek/Maxime Deschamps (CAN) want to challenge for the top of the podium this time around and scored the highest seasons best of the Pairs so far with 214.64 points). ISU Grand Prix Finalists Lia Pereira/Trennt Michaud (CAN) enter the battle for the medals in their second appearance at the event (seasons best 194.67 points). China’s new team Cheng Peng/Lei Wang is hoping to make the home crowd proud (seasons best 186.16 points).

Deanna Stellato Dudek and Maxime Deschamps (CAN) celebrate during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final in Beijng (CHN). @ISU

Others to watch include two-time ISU World Junior silver medallists Anastasia Golubeva/Hektor Giotopoulos Moore (AUS), Ellie Kam/Danny O’Shea (USA) and Chelsea Liu/Balazs Nagy (USA).

Ice Dance: Gilles/Poirier (CAN) to hunt for first Four Continents title

Two-time & reigning ISU World bronze medalists Piper Gilles/Paul Poirier (CAN) headline the Ice Dance competition and aim for the first ISU Four Continents title. The Canadian Champions return to Four Continents after missing it in 2023 as Gilles recovered from a surgery. They have had a strong season so far, won their ISU Grand Prix events as well as bronze at the ISU Grand Prix Final (seasons best 219.01 points).

Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier (CAN) celebrate during the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Cup of China in Huaxi (CHN). @ISU

Laurence Fournier Beaudry/Nikolaj Sorensen (CAN) won the silver medal a year ago at the ISU Four Continents Championships and have set their eyes on to the podium again (seasons best 206.32). More teams hope to fight for a medal or to get to the podium as close as possible: 2022 ISU Four Continents Champions Caroline Green/Michael Parsons (USA), 2022 Four Continents bronze medalists Christina Carreira/Anthony Ponomarenko (USA) as well as Marie-Jade Lauriault/Romain Le Gac (CAN) and 2023 ISU World Junior silver medalists Hannah Lim/Ye Quan (KOR), who debut at a senior-level ISU Championship.

Caroline Green and Michael Parsons (USA) compete ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - Cup of China 2023 in Chongqing (CHN) @ISU

Skaters/Couples need to have obtained a minimum total technical score in Short Program/Rhythm Dance and Free Skating/Free Dance to compete at the ISU Four Continents Championships.

Schedule of the event

The schedule of the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships is as follows:

Thursday, February 1:             Women’s, Men’s & Pairs Short Programs
Friday, February 2:                  Rhythm Dance & Women’s Free Skating
Saturday, February 3:             Pairs & Men’s Free Skating
Sunday, February 4:                Free Dance & Exhibition Gala

For full entries and results, please see the ISU event page and the official website. Follow the discussion on social media using #4ContsFigure and #FigureSkating. 

Where to watch the ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2023:

The ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships will be live streamed on the Skating ISU YouTube Channel. Geo-restrictions will apply in markets where TV rights are in place. You will find the full list in the Where to Watch news here.

Subscribe to the Skating ISU YouTube Channel to receive alerts when the live streams start and when new videos are posted.